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SR 162 Spiketon Creek Bridge near Buckley closed permanently

BUCKLEY – Newly discovered pier settlement on the existing State Route 162 Spiketon Creek (Pioneer Way) Bridge in Buckley has led Washington State Department of Transportation officials to permanently close the bridge to travelers.

“This was not a decision we made lightly,” said WSDOT Olympic Region Administrator John Wynands. “We knew the bridge was reaching the end of its useful life and had already scheduled construction of a replacement bridge to begin in four years,” said Wynands. “Our goal with the deck repairs was to keep the bridge functional until then. Unfortunately the discovery of the pier settlement changed that.”

The pier settlement was discovered on Thursday, Aug. 16, when crews surveyed the bridge in preparation for a 30-day closure to perform deck repairs. To ensure the safety of the traveling public, the bridge was immediately closed and a pre-established detour route was put in effect.

Initial estimates to reinforce the bridge structure to offset the settlement are in excess of $2 million. “It’s clear that it’s not a good use of public funds to make that kind of investment in an 82-year-old structure,” said Wynands. “We do understand how inconvenient this bridge closure is, especially with the school season starting. We’ve begun discussions on moving forward and will engage the community as we develop solutions to the unanticipated closure of this structure.”

The detour route around the closed bridge uses Mundy Loss Road, SR 410 and SR 165, and it will be in place until further notice. The Foothills Trail directly under the bridge remains open for public use.